It was the tragic stampede at Sandhya Theater, with the arrest of Allu Arjun, to which Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan responded. Addressing a press meeting in Mangalagiri, he spoke for the first time and put forth his views on the incident, cinema culture, and larger implications for public safety as well as cinema culture.
Pawan Kalyan over Allu Arjun arrest
Pawan Kalyan commented that he felt happy and sad because of the arrest of Allu Arjun. He cited, "The law is equal for everybody." That is why he never had a word of complaint on the police. Still he felt that the better coordination with the theater staff would help avoid such situation if they only informed Allu Arjun earlier. According to Pawan Kalyan, safety is paramount but one needs better coordination and a little foresight at moments like these.
A Call for Compassion and Humanity
Reflecting on the unfortunate death of one of the victims in the incident, Revathi, Pawan Kalyan condemned the delay in coming out with empathy from people. He said, "It would have been even better if someone had reached the victim's family earlier for Allu Arjun on behalf of Allu Arjun." He said that responsibility and humanity should be felt together and that expressions of regret and solidarity should not be delayed in such a case.
Not a Lone Culprit
Pawan Kalyan defended the Allu Arjun hero, stating that making a movie is a group effort, and holding somebody responsible is unfair. It is his good words and regards he has been extending to him, for all the initiative he is taking to assist the film industry, to the increase of ticket charges for the benefit shows for movies like Salar, Pushpa 2 brought in big collections.
Moral of the Incident
The Deputy Chief Minister asked the film industry to introspect and change. He suggested filmmakers and stakeholders get together and discuss better infrastructure and quality improvement. Pawan Kalyan also mentioned Papikondalu and the Vizianagaram forest area, which are potential locations, and called for investments in infrastructure to unlock them for cinema.
